Interesting Facts about Puffins

Puffins are birds that are found in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as near the waters of the Arctic Ocean. They are recognized by their colorful triangle-shaped bill. The color and shape of their bill is why they are also called “sea parrots.” Puffins look like a cross between penguins and parrots, even though they are not closely related to either bird.

Did you know?

Puffins usually live alone or in pairs.

There can be thousands of puffin pairs in one colony.

A puffin can hold at least 12 fish in its beak at one time.

On average, puffins are about 10 inches tall.

To stay warm in the arctic cold, puffins have an oily coating on their feathers.

The puffin’s beak is a brighter color during mating season than any other time of the year.

Atlantic puffins are the only kind of puffins that live near the Atlantic Ocean. They can dive as deep as 200 feet into the water.

Colonies are groups of paired off puffins that come together during breeding season. Puffins lay one egg per year. The male and female take turns keeping the egg warm. It takes about 40 days for an egg to hatch.